Better Than California

We Californians tend to brag a bit about our consistently sunny weather and natural beauty but there's at least one thing the East coast does better than California - fall color.

Last week, my sister and I drove from Greensboro, NC to Rome, NY and back via Washington, DC to visit our older brother and his family, and all along our route the fall colors were in full swing. I had rather forgotten how exciting is the blaze of red, yellow, orange, ochre, maroon and brown, contrasting with the true, soft green of the eastern forest. On an overcast day, they lend amazing beauty and on a sunny day they are resplendent.

I took this picture at Gunston Hall, the historic home of George Mason whose ideas of independence were borrowed by and whose language was tightened up by Thomas Jefferson when he wrote the Declaration of Independence. The trees there, close to the Potomac's softening influence, were just getting started. While I'm glad to be back on the sunny Left Coast, I'm also glad I had the chance to feast my eyes on a glorious East coast fall.